RAF Jet Near Miss with Illegal Drone

A Royal Air Force VIP jet, the Voyager, narrowly avoided a collision with an illegally flown drone at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 19, coming within 100ft of the drone while traveling at nearly 200mph. The drone was operating at 2,200ft, significantly above the legal altitude limit of 400ft, prompting a 'high' risk of collision assessment by the UK Airprox Board. The crew spotted the drone on final approach and immediately reported it to air traffic control, completing their landing without further incident. The Voyager, which was converted for VIP transport in 2016 and frequently used by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is equipped with advanced secure communication and missile detection systems. At the time of the incident, it was not transporting any members of the royal family or government officials. This incident follows a similar near miss with a different RAF aircraft last year, highlighting ongoing concerns regarding drone activity near airports.